Guide device for vehicle parking

ABSTRACT

A guide device for guiding drivers and their vehicles into and out of vehicle parking spaces. The guide device comprises an operating arm, which is attached to a surface by two brackets, namely an outer bracket and an inner bracket. A cam plinth is situated between the two brackets. The guide device is arranged such that the arm can pivot relative to the brackets.

This application claims priority from international application no.PCT/GB99/02148 having an international filing date of Jul. 16 1999,which claims priority from British application no. 9815711.8 filed Jul.21 1998.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a guide device. In particular, but notexclusively, the invention relates to a guide device for guiding driversand their vehicles into and out of parking spaces while protectingvehicles from impact.

In public and private car parks, the dimensions of designated parkingspaces are calculated such that each parking space is wide enough forthe parking of a “standard” vehicle, and allows adequate space betweenadjacent parked vehicles for the occupants to get out of and into thevehicles with an assumption of relative ease. The width is calculated onthe assumption that all drivers park their vehicles nearly centrallywithin the designated parking space.

Conventional markings on the ground of parking spaces are generally notvisible during a parking manoeuvre and as a result, most drivers willseek to park at around the midpoint between the two adjacent vehicles.It is well known that not all drivers are neat parkers, and anyinaccuracies in the position of a row of parked vehicles are therebyperpetuated and maintained as vehicles join or depart from the row ofparked vehicles concerned. For example, once a driver has located avacant parking space in a car park, he/she is often faced with thesituation that the vehicles in the two adjacent parking spaces have notparked straight and/or in the centre of their respective spaces, therebyreducing the amount of space available to the driver on parking. Anumber of problems arise, the most obvious being that there will beinsufficient room for the occupants to get out of the vehicle. Due topoor parking or mere carelessness, vehicles are often damaged as aresult of the opening of doors of adjacent vehicles, or by themanoeuvring of shopping trolleys or prams between the parked vehicles.Vehicles can also be damaged along their flanks by collision while avehicle exits or enters a car parking space.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,974 describes a barrier or guard rail that isdesigned to be installed between vehicle parking spaces. It includes acushioned impact absorbing surface that is supported above the ground bya set of equally spaced posts.

It is the aim of the present invention to provide a guide device thatmitigates at least some of the above-mentioned problems, inducinggreater care on the part of manoeuvring drivers and increasing thesafety, convenience and efficiency of vehicle parking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a guide device forguiding drivers and their vehicles accurately into and out of vehicleparking spaces and protecting vehicles from impact, characterised inthat said device includes an elongate cantilever arm, a support memberconnected to the arm towards one end thereof for supporting the armabove the ground and a pivoting mechanism connected to the supportmember that allows the support member and the arm to pivot about an axisthat is, in use, substantially horizontal and in the same vertical planeas the arm.

The present invention encourages drivers to park their vehicles inparking spaces more accurately, so that they are parked near the centreand nearly straight. The guide device is positioned above the ground,within the driver's line of sight, thereby providing visual and physicalguidance to drivers engaged in manoeuvring into or out of a parkingspace. As vehicles are parked more accurately, there is a potential forsmaller vehicle bays to be defined by guide devices, in situations whereit is desirable to favour use by smaller vehicles. The increasedaccuracy of parking manoeuvres into and out of vehicle bays also permitsthe use of narrower than usual access lanes, while encouraging generallymore care on the part of drivers. The device protects the flanks, orfront and rear of both the vehicle concerned and its neighbours fromimpact. The device also protects a vehicle against damage fromcarelessly opened doors of adjacent vehicles, and makes it difficult forshopping trolleys and prams to be pushed between parked vehicles.

Advantageously, the guide device includes a base structure for attachingthe device to the ground.

Advantageously, the pivoting mechanism includes a biassing means forbiassing the support member to a substantially upright position Saidbiassing means maybe arranged to provide bias over a predetermined rangeof movement between parked vehicles, and no bias if movement exceeds thepredetermined range, such that the device will release and lie flat ifthe predetermined range is exceeded. Preferably, the predetermined rangeincludes displacements up to an angle of approximately 40° either sideof the vertical corresponding to the effective gap between vehicles,although other ranges may be suitable. The biassing means may include ameans for restraining the support member in a substantially uprightposition after being deflected.

Advantageously, the elongate arm is arranged to be substantiallyhorizontal in use.

Preferably the elongate arm is flexible, relatively smooth and soft. Theelongate arm is thus benign and yielding upon impact with any part of avehicle, pedestrians, or other moving objects.

Advantageously, the elongate arm has a visually prominent end featurepreferably made of a brightly coloured plastics material. Preferably,the plastics material is high density polyethelene.

Advantageously, the free end of the elongate arm is deflected downward.

Preferably the base structure includes at least one bracket means and abase member that engages said bracket means and is rotatable relative toit.

Preferably the base member, support member and elongate arm of the guidedevice comprise a single elongate element including a base portion, asupport portion and an arm portion.

Thus this guide device consists of only five components, with only onemechanically moving part. All of the components are extremely robust,require nil maintenance over a long period, and are difficult tovandalise. The device can be assembled on site, and no specialisedskills are required for installation.

Advantageously, the elongate element comprises a substantiallycylindrical tube. Preferably said tube is substantially Z-shaped orC-shaped.

Advantageously said biassing means engages said base portion Preferably,the biassing means causes resilient deformation of the base portion whenthe support portion is deflected from a substantially upright position.For example the biassing means may include a means for engaging acircumferential part of the base portion to restrict rotational movementbetween said engaging means and said circumferential part such that whenthe support member is deflected, the base portion is deformed laterally.The engaging means may include at least one lug for engaging acorresponding hole in said base portion. Preferably, the engaging meansincludes two lugs for engaging corresponding holes in the base portion,with said lugs being inclined towards one another.

The said biassing means is preferably located between two bracket means.The biassing means and the bracket means may be incorporated into asingle integrated fabrication.

Advantageously said biassing means has a concave bearing surface, whichincludes a detent means for restraining said support portion in asubstantially upright position.

Advantageously said biassing means and said bracket means are durablemetal castings or durable and low friction plastics mouldings, and saidelongate element may be manufactured from a low friction, high densitypolymer, in hollow section, preferably polyethylene. The elongateelement may be of large radius and is preferably flexible.Advantageously said elongate element is either partially or totallyfilled with a semi-rigid foam filling.

Advantageously said support portion includes a damping means for dampingoscillations of the elongate arm and support member.

The present invention further provides a car park having a plurality ofcar parking spaces in which vehicles may be parked, and a plurality ofguide devices located between adjacent car parking spaces to delimit theboundaries of those spaces and to guide vehicles into and out of thespaces, characterised in that each said guide device includes anelongate cantilever arm, a support member connected to the arm towardsone end thereof for supporting the arm above the ground and a pivotingmechanism connected to the support member that allows the support memberand the arm to pivot about an axis that is, in use, substantiallyhorizontal and in the same vertical plane as the arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example,with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a typical car park, illustrating the positionsof the guide devices;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the Z-shaped guide device;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the Z-shaped guide device, showing themovement of the operating arm to either side of the vertical;

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the movement of the operating arm movingaside on opening a vehicle door;

FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of part of a Z-shaped guide device,showing the inclusion of a damping web in the operating arm;

FIG. 6 is an end view of a bracket, partly in cross-section;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the bracket, partly in cross-section;

FIG. 8 is an end view of a cam plinth, partly in cross-section;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the cam plinth, partly in cross-section;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of typical parking arrangement alongside a kerb,illustrating the position of a guide device; and

FIG. 11 is a side view of the C-shaped guide device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

One embodiment of the guide device is a Z-shaped guide device 1. FIGS.1a and 1 b show the use of the guide device 1 in two different parkingarrangements. In FIG. 1a the parking spaces are perpendicular to theaccess lane, and in FIG. 1b they are at an angle, of approximately 60°to the access lane. In a perpendicular arrangement, the guide device 1delimits the width of each parking space 2 within a designated parkingarea. The distance between adjacent guide devices is normally 2400 mm,and the length of the guide device is such that once installed, theloading area for trolleys and prams at the front of the parking space isretained and remains unobstructed for normal use. The device 1 is boltedto the ground at the rear of the parking space 2. The guide device mayalso be used to delimit the width of each parking space in more spaceefficient “chevron” or, “herringbone” parking layout, as shown in FIG.1b.

The guide device is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and consists essentially ofan operating arm 3, which is attached to the ground 4 by two identicalbrackets, namely an outer bracket 5 and an inner bracket 6, with a camplinth 8 situated half way between the two brackets 5, 6.

The operating arm 3 consists of a 90 mm diameter tube, preferably of alow friction, high density plastic, for example polyethylene.

The operating arm 3 has three sections. The lower section (or baseportion) 10 is horizontal, and remains at ground level. The middlesection (or support portion) 12 is substantially upright and has aright-angle joint at the lower end where it is attached to the baseportion, and a 90° curve at the upper end, which extends substantiallyhorizontally to form the upper section (or arm portion) 14. The free end15 of the arm portion 14 is curved downward, and therefore back towardsthe user's own vehicle when a vehicle door deflects the arm and supportportion away from their vertical alignment. At the free end of the armportion 14 is a rounded end feature, which is brightly coloured and maybell made of a low friction plastics material for example polyethelene.

The operating arm 3 is positioned at a height of approximately 800 mmabove the ground. At this height the operating arm will not interferewith the side mirrors or other projections along the flank ofmanoeuvring vehicles.

The support portion 12 is formed by welding an upper bend 16 onto anelbow 17, as shown in FIG. 5. In order to maintain the desired 90° curveat the upper end of the support portion 12, a damping web 18 may beprovided.

If a damping web is to be used, the upper bend 16 is heated and pulledto an angle of around 85°. While the polyethylene is warm andsemi-plastic a damping web 18 is inserted into the tube from its lowerend to force the upper bend of the operating arm to bend at the desired90°.

Preferably the damping web 18 is made from polyethylene sheet,approximately 10 mm thick. The damping web 18 is formed to the precisesickle shape required to constrain the tube in a downward direction,thereby preventing subsequent droop in the operating arm. Due to theshape of the damping web 18, it will also damp out vertical resonancewhen the operating arm is caused to move upward or downward. Upondownward movement of the operating arm, the toe 19 of the damping web 18will cease its pressure on the inner face of the operating arm. As theoperating arm rebounds in an upward direction the toe 19 re-engages withthe inner face, preventing the operating arm from rebounding above itsoriginal height.

The damping web 18 is secured within the operating arm by means of a lug20 a on the outer edge of the damping web and a hole 20 b located on theouter face of the pulled bend, which aligns and secures the web in theposition where the bend will have assumed its final angle of 90°. Oncethe pulled bend 16 has cooled, the lower end of the tube can be trimmedand fused to the elbow joint 17. The lower end of the damping web 18 isabove the position of the weld between the upper bend 16 and the elbow17.

The operating arm 3 may have all or part of its hollow tube injectedwith semi-rigid foam in the interests of stiffening and/or improving theelastometric performance of the various parts.

The operating arm 3 is held in position by two identical brackets 5, 6,shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The brackets provide fixed mountings forsecuring the guide device to the ground beneath. Each bracket is acasting consisting of a cylindrical bearing 21 with a 91 mm internaldiameter. The diameter is large enough to fit the tube of the operatingarm 3, and allow for flexing and rotation about the longitudinal axis ofthe base portion 10. This enables swinging movement of the operating arm3 to either side of the vertical, as shown in FIG. 3. The bearing 21 issupported by two inclined side walls 22, and two end walls 23. A slot 24having an enlarged upper portion 26 is provided in the lower face thebracket and extends from one end of the bracket approximately to itscentre. The slot 24 is designed to receive a rag bolt for securing thebracket into the ground beneath.

The cam plinth 8 is situated midway between the two brackets 5, 6. Itprovides a pivoting mechanism and maintains the equilibrium position ofthe operating arm in the vertical position. The cam plinth, which isshown in FIGS. 8 and 9, has a concave cylindrical, upper bearing surface28 which is supported by four inclined walls 30. Two rounded locatinglugs 32 protrude upwards from the bearing surface 28. The lugs 32 areinclined; inwards, at approximately 40° to the vertical, and are curvedslightly inwards. A recessed bolt hole 34 is provided in the lowersurface of the cam plinth, allowing it to be fixed to the surface of thecar park with a rag bolt.

Two sets of holes 36, 38 are provided on the underside of the baseportion 10 of the operating arm. Each set of holes consists of two holesthat are drilled into the lower surface of the operating arm atapproximately 40° either side of vertical. The first set of holes 36 issituated 520 mm from the end of the arm, and the second set of holes 38is drilled into the operating arm 100 mm further along the arm towardsthe elbow bend 17.

The two lugs 32, which are slightly smaller than the holes 36, 38drilled into the base portion 10 of the operating arm, engage in theholes and cause the base portion 10 to roll away from its centralposition as it rotates. As the two ends of the base portion 10 arerestrained by the brackets 5, 6, a bend is produced in the base portion10, which is opposed owing to the resilience of the plastics tube. Thisproduces a biassing force that biasses the operating arm towards thevertical position.

The operation of the guide device will now be described. In the restposition the guide device is in a vertical position and it is retainedin this position by the operation of the cam plinth 8 and the resilienceof the base portion 10. The operating arm of the guide device may bepushed to either side of the vertical, but on release it will returngently to the original vertical position.

This mechanism can be explained as follows, as the arm rotates, the lugson the cam plinth engage in the holes in the lower section of theoperating arm, causing the section between the brackets 5, 6 to flexsideways and upwards. Upon release, the lateral flex imparted to thesection between the brackets returns the lower arm to its originalposition, thereby restoring the support portion 12 of the arm to itsoriginal vertical position. The geometry of the lugs is calculated toallow free movement over the normal operating arc of around. 40° fromthe vertical. If the arm is forced beyond that arc then the geometry ofthe lugs, will initially resist further movement, before the tubeoverrides the lugs, allowing the upper section to lie flat on theground. The operating arm can later be lifted back into the verticalposition, whereupon the lugs 32 will re-engage the holes 36, 38, withoutdetriment to the operation of the device.

On installation the cam lugs 32 are engaged with the first pair of holes36 drilled into the base portion 10 of the operating arm. Afterextensive wear on the first pair of holes 36, the operating arm can berepositioned so that the cam lugs 32 will engage in the second pair ofholes 38, thereby extending the life of the operating arm. This will notaffect the functioning of the guide device. In the case of extreme wearthe entire arm can easily be replaced.

The guide device 1 is fastened to the ground at the rear of the parkingspace, so as not to provide any foot impediment to the occupants of avehicle when getting into or out of the vehicle. To reduce thepossibility of a pedestrian tripping over the lower section of theoperating arm, the brackets 5, 6 and the cam plinth 8 are finished witha bright colour for good visibility.

Once a vehicle has been parked, the guide device 1 will allow shared useof the space between vehicles and will also protect the vehicle frombeing damaged by those adjacent to it. When a vehicle door is opened, asshown in FIG. 4, it makes contact with the horizontal arm portion, whichmay then move sideways until it comes into contact with an adjacentvehicle. If so, then this provides a cushioning effect between thevehicles, thereby preventing damage. On closure of the door, thehorizontal arm will return to its original vertical position.

The downward deflection of the free end 15 of the arm portion 14 of theoperating arm results in the operating arm being inclined back towardsto door opening vehicle, encouraging less frequent contact betweenadjacent vehicles, and permits the vehicle doors to be generally openedfurther without any such contact. Another advantage of the downwarddeflection of the free end 15 is that if the operating arm is bentdownward, for example by children playing, less energy can be impartedcausing it to rebound upward in a less threatening manner, and to alower height.

The position of the guide device also prevents damage to the flanks ofmotor vehicles by preventing the manoeuvring of shopping trolleys andprams between parked vehicles.

Due to the increased accuracy of parking by drivers into and out ofparking bays, the width of the access lanes to the parking spaces couldbe reduced. This will increase the potential capacity of a parking area.

Another embodiment of the guide device is a C-shaped guide device 101.The guide device delimits the length of each parking space 102 alongsidea kerb, or otherwise parallel about its long axis with an adjacentcarriageway, as shown in FIGS. 1-2. The guide device can be installed atconventional spacing on or alongside a carriageway.

The guide device is shown in FIG. 13 and consists essentially of anoperating arm 103, which is attached to the ground 104 by two identicalbrackets, namely an outer bracket 105 and an inner bracket 106, with acam plinth 108 situated half way between the two brackets 105,106.

The operating arm 103 consists of a 90 mm diameter tube, preferably of alow friction, high density plastic, for example polyethylene.

The operating arm 103 has three sections. The lower section (or baseportion) 110 is horizontal and remains at ground level. The middlesection (or support portion) 112 is substantially upright and has aright angled joint at the lower end where it is attached to the baseportion, and a 90° curve at the upper end, which then extendssubstantially horizontally to form the upper section (or arm portion)114. The arm portion is raised approximately 800 mm above the ground.The end of the arm portion 114 has an end feature, a ball 116. The endfeature is preferably brightly coloured and made of a low frictionplastics material for example a high density polyethelene.

The operating arm 103 may have all or part of its hollow fabric injectedwith semi-rigid foam in the interests of stiffening and/or improving theelastometric performance of the various parts. Alternatively or inaddition, the operating arm 103 may incorporate a damping web within itsupper bend, as described above.

The base portion 110, identical brackets 105,106 and cam plinth 108 havethe same, features as described above for the Z-shaped guide device,enabling the guide device 101 to operate by means of a similarmechanism.

The guide device 101 is fastened to the ground some 500 m from the edgeof the carriageway used for designated parking, to facilitate cleansingof any adjacent gully by brush or similar means. In this position itsrounded upper face is also placed at a safe distance from passingpedestrians on any adjacent footway.

The support portion 112 is positioned some 1500 mm from the unobstructedcarriageway adjoining the designated parking space. At this distance itdoes not interfere with the extremities of a vehicle pivoting into orout of that parking space, but it will intervene as a buffer betweenadjacent vehicles, clear of a centrally mounted registration plate, ifthe vehicle being parked is subsequently manoeuvring in a forward orrearward direction. Thus the guide device protects the vehicle and itsimmediate neighbours from impact at their front and rear. If projectingbeyond the flank of a parked vehicle, the end feature of the guidedevice will protect the flank of that vehicle from impact imparted bywayward vehicles passing along the adjacent carriageway.

The guide device can be installed at conventional spacing on oralongside the carriageway concerned, generally some 6 metres, or can bepositioned to designate parking bays which are shorter than normallyobserved, if smaller vehicles are to be favoured at the locality orwithin the jurisdiction affected. This will either increase the numberof designated parking bays available for use, or create space forenlarged footways, street planting or other environmental enhancementswithout net loss in the number of parking spaces made available.

Should a vehicle come into contact with the guide device 1,101 whilemanoeuvring into a parking space, its operating height is calculated toallow the arm portion 14, 114 to override the front or rear of thevehicle. The components of the guide device that make contact with thevehicle, namely the operating arm and its end feature 116 are made of alarge radius polymeric material, which minimises the friction and forceexerted on the vehicle. Should the vehicle continue to be driven throughinitial contact with the guide device, then the shape of the device andits inherent upward flex when at rest will cause it to ride upward overthe vehicle's bodywork without exerting a large force to the bodywork,into the driver's line of vision, thereby alerting the driver to hismisjudgment.

The guide device is designed to be resistant to vandalism All of themetal components (the brackets 5, 6, 105, 106 and the cam plinth 8, 108)are robust and not vulnerable to cutting, heating or impact. The deviceis fastened to the ground by substantial rag bolts using a specialisedratchet spanner. The operating arm is a thick walled tube of a highdensity polymer (for example high density polyethylene), which isresistant to sharp cutting blades and is a poor heat conductor. If theoperating arm were forced off the cam and lugs, it can easily berefitted without damage.

A possible additional feature to the parking aid is the attachment of acap on to the end of the base portion 10, 110 of the operating arm, toprevent unauthorised access to the securing rag bolt. The operating armcould also be pulled out of the brackets, once the holes in theoperating arm are disengaged from the lugs in the cam plinth, and theaddition of an end cap of larger diameter would also prevent this fromhappening.

There is also the potential for providing advertising material on, orattached to the device.

Various modifications of the guide device are envisaged, some of whichare described: below.

The recessed bolt hole in the lower surface of the cam plinth could bereplaced by a slot. The provision of a slot is preferable since thelower section of the operating arm will then sit on the edges of theslot, which will stabilise it in the vertical position and reduce wavingof the operating arm in strong winds.

The main potential for wear on the guide device is at the two holeswhich interact with the lugs on the cam plinth. This wear may besignificantly reduced by the insertion of a ferrule of Nylon or similarlow friction material as the wearing surface.

The two brackets and cam plinth may be incorporated into a singleintegrated plinth fabricated from reinforced concrete, other compositematerial, or polymer plastic. This ensures that the two brackets and camplinth will always be in the correct alignment regardless of anyirregularities in the ground surface, allowing the guide device to bepositioned on unsurfaced and unfirm ground, makeshift or temporaryparking areas, or unlevel ground. The integrated plinth can be attachedto the ground beneath using less than the three separate groundfittings.

The damping web 18 may be fabricated from soft sheet metal, renderingthe guide device almost impossible to vandalize.

Another modification to the guide device could be the attachment of alocking or user specific pivoting arm feature to the operating arm, forobstructing all or part of the affected parking space. This may be usedto prevent unauthorised parking within the affected parking space,thereby reserving its use for authorised or user specific purposes.

The guide device may be adapted to detect unauthorised movement of aparked vehicle. This can be achieved by a modification of the operatingarm, brackets or cam plinth to incorporate sensors and/or logic systems,relying on magnetic flux or the emission and/or reception ofelectromagnetic radiation, for the purpose of sensing movement of anadjacent vehicle, and subsequently activating an alarm function.

Alternatively, if the guide device is to be used in an enclosed carpark, such as an underground car park or a multi-story car park, it maybe mounted upside-down with the bracket means and other componentsattached to the overhead surface, so that the elongate arm is suspendedbetween adjacent car park spaces.

What is claimed is:
 1. A guide device for guiding drivers and theirvehicles accurately into and out of vehicle parking spaces andprotecting vehicles from impact, said device comprising: an elongatecantilever arm, a support member connected to the arm towards one endthereof for supporting the arm, a pivoting mechanism connected to thesupport member that allows the support member and the arm to pivot aboutan axis that is, in use, substantially horizontal, and a base structurefor attaching the device to a surface, wherein said pivoting mechanismincludes a biassing means for biassing the support member to asubstantially upright position that is arranged to provide bias over apredetermined range of movement, and no bias if movement exceeds thepredetermined range, wherein said predetermined range comprises angulardisplacements of up to ±40° from the vertical.
 2. A guide deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said biassing means includes means forrestraining the support member in a substantially upright position.
 3. Aguide device according to claim 1, wherein said elongate arm is arrangedto be substantially horizontal in use.
 4. A guide device according toclaim 1, wherein said elongate arm has a visually prominent end feature.5. A guide device according to claim 1, wherein said end feature is madeof a brightly coloured plastics material.
 6. A guide device according toclaim 5, wherein said plastics material is a high density polyethylene.7. A guide device according to claim 1, wherein said elongate arm has afree end that is deflected downwards.
 8. A guide device according toclaim 1, wherein said guide device is located between adjacent carparking spaces of a car park and delimits boundaries of said parkingspaces and guides vehicles into and out of said parking spaces.
 9. Aguide device for guiding drivers and their vehicles accurately into andout of vehicle parking spaces and protecting vehicles from impact, saiddevice comprising: an elongate cantilever arm, a support memberconnected to the arm towards one end thereof for supporting the arm, apivoting mechanism connected to the support member that allows thesupport member and the arm to pivot about an axis that is, in use,substantially horizontal, wherein said pivoting mechanism includes abiassing means for biassing the support member to a substantiallyupright position, and a base structure for attaching the device to asurface, the base structure comprising at least one bracket and a basemember that engages said bracket and is rotatable relative to saidbracket, wherein said base member, support member and elongate armcomprise an elongate element including a base portion, a support portionand an arm portion, said biassing means engages said base portion andwherein said biassing means causes resilient deformation of the baseportion when the support portion is deflected from a substantiallyupright position.
 10. A guide device according to claim 9, wherein saidelongate element comprises a substantially cylindrical tube.
 11. A guidedevice according to claim 9, wherein said elongate element issubstantially Z-shaped.
 12. A guide device according to claim 9, whereinsaid elongate element is substantially C-shaped.
 13. A guide deviceaccording to claim 9, wherein said biassing means has a concave bearingsurface.
 14. A guide device according to claim 13, wherein said bearingsurface includes a means for restraining said support portion and saidarm portion in a substantially upright position.
 15. A guide deviceaccording to claim 9, wherein said biassing means and said bracket aredurable metal castings.
 16. A guide device according to claim 9, whereinsaid biassing means and said bracket are durable and low frictionplastics mouldings.
 17. A guide device according to claim 9, whereinsaid elongate element is manufactured from a low friction, high densitypolymer, in hollow section.
 18. A guide device according to claim 17,wherein said elongate element is manufactured from polyethylene.
 19. Aguide device according to claim 17, wherein said elongate elementincludes a semi-rigid foam filling.
 20. A guide device according toclaim 9, wherein said guide device is located between adjacent carparking spaces of a car park and delimits boundaries of said parkingspaces and guides vehicles into and out of said parking spaces.
 21. Aguide device for guiding drivers and their vehicles accurately into andout of vehicle parking spaces and protecting vehicles from impact, saiddevice comprising: an elongate cantilever arm, a support memberconnected to the arm towards one end thereof for supporting the arm, apivoting mechanism connected to the support member that allows thesupport member and the arm to pivot about an axis that is, in use,substantially horizontal, wherein said pivoting mechanism includes abiassing means for biassing the support member to a substantiallyupright position, and a base structure for attaching the device to asurface comprising at least one bracket and a base member that engagessaid bracket and is rotatable relative to said bracket, wherein saidbase member, support member and elongate arm comprise an elongateelement including a base portion, a support portion and an arm portion,said biassing means engages said base portion and wherein said biassingmeans includes means for engaging a circumferential part of said baseportion to restrict rotational movement between said engaging means andsaid circumferential part.
 22. A guide device according to claim 21,wherein said engaging means includes at least one lug for engaging acorresponding hole in said base portion.
 23. A guide device according toclaim 22, wherein said engaging means includes two lugs for engagingcorresponding holes in said base portion.
 24. A guide device accordingto claim 23, wherein said lugs are inclined towards one another.
 25. Aguide device according to claim 21, wherein said biassing means islocated between two brackets.
 26. A guide device according to claim 21,wherein said biassing means and said bracket are incorporated into asingle integrated fabrication.
 27. A guide device according to claims21, wherein said guide device is located between adjacent car parkingspaces of a car park and delimits boundaries of said parking spaces andguides vehicles into and out of said parking spaces.
 28. A guide devicefor guiding drivers and their vehicles accurately into and out ofvehicle parking spaces and protecting vehicles from impact, said devicecomprising: an elongate cantilever arm; a support member connected tothe arm towards one end thereof for supporting the arm, a pivotingmechanism connected to the support member that allows the support memberand the arm to pivot about an axis that is, in use, substantiallyhorizontal, wherein said pivoting mechanism includes a biassing meansfor biassing the support member to a substantially upright position, anda base structure for attaching the device to a surface comprising atleast one bracket and a base member that engages said bracket and isrotatable relative to said bracket, wherein said base member, supportmember and elongate arm comprise an elongate element including a baseportion, a support portion and an arm portion, and wherein said supportportion includes a damping means for damping oscillations of saidelongate arm and support member.
 29. A guide device according to claim28, wherein said guide device is located between adjacent car parkingspaces of a car park and delimits boundaries of said parking spaces andguides vehicles into and out of said parking spaces.
 30. A car parkcomprising: a surface; a plurality of parking spaces; and, a pluralityof guide devices, said guide devices located respectively between a pairof adjacent parking spaces to delimit a boundary separating said pair ofadjacent parking spaces from each other, each of said guide devicescomprising a bracket secured to said surface and an elongate cantileverarm having a first portion pivotably secured to said bracket for angularmovement about a pivot axis and a second portion spaced from saidsurface between said pair of parking spaces, said arm pivotable aboutsaid pivot axis in first and second directions.